Elon Musk, the high-profile tech tycoon and culture influencer, has had a fascinating journey reacting to public perspectives regarding his actions. In comparison, when others find themselves in a parallel situation, such as previous Oakland A’s bench coach Ryan Christenson, they swiftly recognize their slip-up, explain the circumstance, offer an apology, and move forward. But, Elon Musk’s response was noticeably different, an individual who somehow juggles controlling several companies.
Musk, the mind behind the innovative venture Tesla, initiated the action while addressing a crowd from the podium at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. The billionaire expressed his gratitude towards his supporters and then extended his arm outward, his hand faced downwards, making a gesture which the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) proves as the ‘most common hand sign’. He then mirrored the action towards the group of supporters behind him on the stage.
The ADL referred to it as ‘an awkward gesture’, a diplomatic characterization to say the least. However, not everyone held back in their assessment, with some, like Kurt Braddock, an expert on extremism at American University, stating their viewpoints more candidly. ‘People shouldn’t doubt what they saw’, Braddock stated in his conversation with The Independent. ‘I know what I saw, I know what the response to it was among elements of the extreme right.’
The Associated Press relayed that white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and various other fringe groups of the alt-right interpreted Musk’s gesture as a sign of acknowledgement to their organizations. Rather than putting a firm full-stop to these assumptions, Musk’s initial response was to label critics of the gesture as ‘sooo tired’, accompanied by the depiction of a sleeping emoji.
This reaction from Musk seemed to be the last straw for the ADL, prompting them to release a statement. It emphasized that ‘Making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes only serve to minimize evil and denigrate the suffering of victims and insult the memory of the six million Jews murdered.’. Musk’s response to this was to share a variety of comments defending his salute, a move which only amplified the discussions surrounding the incident.
In most similar situations, the person involved tends to offer elucidation and an apology before moving on. This has been the case for many, such as former Oakland A’s bench coach Ryan Christenson. However, the reactions of Elon Musk, head of several conglomerates, stand in stark contrast to these conventional responses.
Musk was seen making a gesture at Washington, DC’s Capital One Arena while delivering his speech. In an act of acknowledgement to his supporters, he extended his arm, with his palm facing down, a gesture which the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) defines as ‘the most common hand sign’. He exhibited the same stance to the crowd assembled behind him on stage.
The gesture was classified by the ADL as an ‘awkward gesture,’ a diplomatically phrased critique. But certain individuals, such as extremism scholar Kurt Braddock from American University, had a less lenient perspective. Braddock, in an interview with The Independent, spoke candidly about his standpoint, insisting that ‘People shouldn’t doubt what they saw’. He emphasized his version of the truth, asserting his understanding of the event and subsequent reactions from the far-right factions.
In a report, the Associated Press suggested that the gesture was hailed by alt-right fringe groups, including white nationalists and neo-Nazis, believing it as a clandestine nod to their communities. However, rather than denying these interpretations categorically, Musk responded by seemingly shrugging off the critiques as ‘sooo tired’, adding a sleeping emoji for further emphasis.
This response of Musk hit a nerve with the ADL, provoking them to issue a public statement. It criticized that ‘Making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes only serve to minimize evil and denigrate the suffering of victims and insult the memory of the six million Jews murdered.’. However, Musk’s decision to share comments defending his controversial gesture added fuel to the simmering controversy.
The routine response to a slip-up, as evidenced by figures like former Oakland A’s bench coach Ryan Christenson, is to accept the blunder, provide an explanation, apologize, and then move on. However, the reactions by Elon Musk, a multi-company CEO, diverged considerably from this normal course.
As the founding mind of Tesla, Musk showcased the controversial gesture during his speech at DC’s Capital One Arena. After expressing gratitude to his followers, he proceeded to extend his arm outward, his palm facing downwards – an action designated by the ADL as ‘the most common hand sign’. This same gesture was repeated towards the crowd situated behind him on the stage.
The ADL opted for a conservative approach, terming it as ‘an awkward gesture’. A more critical viewpoint came from Kurt Braddock, an authority figure on extremism at American University. ‘People shouldn’t doubt what they saw’, Braddock voiced to The Independent, clarifying his views on what transpired and the resulting reaction from elements within the far-right.